


The Girl Is Mine

by Writerperson100



Category: That '70s Show
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Getting to Know Each Other, Guilt, Heartbreak, Love, Post-Season/Series 08, Sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-17 09:40:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29098179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writerperson100/pseuds/Writerperson100
Summary: Steven Hyde and Jackie Burkhart broke up in 1979.Ha married a stripper and 4 weeks later she ran away.Even in 1992, he just can’t shake her memory... and then it comes knocking on his door in a way he could not have seen coming.(This is not a bubbly happy jh story, I have another one like that, I would suggest you read that. THIS WILL BE SAD) that being said I am actually really proud of it, give it a try!
Relationships: Eric Forman/Donna Pinciotti, Jackie Burkhart & Donna Pinciotti, Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde, Steven Hyde & Michael Kelso, Steven Hyde/Original Character(s)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 17





	1. Prologue

Prologue • 4th April 1992

David Mason could see that the precinct was incredibly busy, but then again it was New York, the police was always busy, but he was here as a social worker, he had one job, he had to protect the vulnerable.

Every night he went home to his children and kissed them good night, he worked with so many parents, who were losing their children to drugs and other problems that he thanked the lord that every night he got to go home to 2 children and an ever loving wife.

His heart went out to the mother that he was helping. She didn’t have a missing child, no, she was going to lose hers because paying the rent was too difficult and they may get evicted. Most of his cases were single mothers trying to keep a roof over their heads, or children of single mothers, damaged by their drinking. It was rare, but he had a good one, he remembered her tiny frame as he comforted her, promising her she wouldn’t lose her 12 year old son.

The sad truth about working for the Child Protective Services was most of the single mothers were trying to give their children the best life, or at least one with a better outcome than their own.

And of course, the children damaged by their parents neglect.

David Coroway was at the precinct too, he also worked for CPS with David Mason, he went and sat down next to him and they struck up a conversation about their current cases.

“A little girl, we need to find her next of kin or she’ll go in the system.”

“Single mother?”

He nodded. It was always single mothers. “Druggie?”

“Nope. Dead. What about yours?”

“That’s horrible, poor child. Mine’s a single mom, eviction notice, they want to take the child away for neglect.”

David Coroway shook his head. “I know the system helps kids escape bad situations, but it needs to be better, taking children away from a loving parent is not good for them.”

There is a silence before David Mason speaks “Who knows, maybe she’ll ask the father for help.”

David Coroway laughed. “They never do.” It was sad. But it was true.

Their conversation was interrupted by the captain with information for David Coroway, he bid him goodbye just as a detective came towards David Mason.

God he hoped he could help that mother. She was tiny, but she had a smile that made everything around her glow. He wanted her and her son to be happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a while to put up because before I put up a story I like to know the entire plot, because I don't like abandoning stories (no shade, this is just my perfectionist brain problems). I usually come up with a single idea or sentence or prologue and then have to actually build a story around it that makes sense 
> 
> I hope you like this, the next chapter should be up in a few hours (or already for most people).


	2. Was Your Home Always So Small

Was Your Home Always So Small • 15th March 1990 

Pamela Burkhart was back in Point Place, the rumour around the Price Mart was that when she heard about the death of Jack, she decided to come back to Point Place, sell the Burkhart mansion and find herself rich again. She didn't want to rely on Mexican men to buy her tequila, they had other ways in which they could be useful to her.

The week turned into 2 and then to a month with no ‘For sale’ sign on the Burkhart mansion and soon the gossip moved on.

But the 4 and a half people still in Point Place who's friend/aunt grew up in that mansion this topic weighed heavily on their minds. 

Donna remembered when she found out that Jack Burkhart and died, she was doing some research of her own only to find that the one source she really needed was gone. Now with the return of Pam she had questions, but she didn't need to find her because one afternoon, after her son had finally slept the phone begun to ring. 

"Forman residence, this is Donna speaking.”

"Donna? Tall red-head?”

"Yeah! who is this?”

"Pam Burkhart, Jackie's mother.”

"Pam! What makes you call?" She enquired, excited how this had worked out. 

"Oh, I was just wondering because I was in town, I could have dinner with you lot. I haven't seen everyone since Jackie was dating that scruffy boy.”

And the next thing Donna knew, she was cooking for 5 people with a drooling infant in her arms.

Eric was back from work and he saw his wife slaving over the kitchen. “Hey Donna, why are you cooking a feast, this is giving me very 70’s flashbacks with my mom in this kitchen.” She smiled at him and he took the baby from her arms cooing at him. “You will never guess who called me today?”

“Was it my mom? Oh Red?”

“No, Pam Burkhart.”

“Pam called?”

“Yeah, she is coming over for dinner with us and Hyde and Fez are coming too.”

Eric thought about what donna said as he played with his son. “Do you think she has a message from Jackie for us? It will help you find her like you were trying.”

“I thought that Eric, but I have a feeling that that isn’t true at all, I have this dread that she actually doesn’t know where Jackie is and that she is looking for her too.”

“Why would that be?”

“Jack’s been dead for 6 years, I mean the minute he was arrested she ran away and then she left Jackie a few months after coming back for her. What make you think she will actually know where her daughter is and why would she even care?”

“She is her mother Donna, mothers don’t just cut themselves off from their children.”

“Yours doesn’t Eric. Mine calls sometimes. Hyde hasn’t heard from Edna since she upped and left and I have a feeling Jackie hasn’t from hers either. When I went to talk to Jack’s lawyer he said that he left most everything for his daughter but he didn’t tell me where she was. What is Pam is in the same situation?” Said Donna as she pulled the ham out of the oven.

Eric put their son in his seat in the kitchen and begun to help Donna by doing the dishes. “Then do you really think it’s a good idea to have Hyde here? He lashes out about both Jackie and absentee parents, together who knows how he will react.”

Donna scoffed, yes Hyde was her friend a she cared about him, but years ago she had decided that the imploding of their relationship and running away of Jackie Burkhart was his fault. “I don’t care Eric, he can grumpy she ran away and never looked back for the rest of his life for all I care, he needs to face that it was his fault. We don’t know where Jackie is and thats on him. He should have been better and he wasn’t.”

Eric scoffed. It was well known in their house that Eric and Donna had opposite views about their best friends’ tumultuous relationship. “She RAN away and didn’t even call Donna, she didn’t just leave him she left all of us because she couldn’t handle a breakup. You remember how broken he was that new years eve that year.”

“Golly! He realised he loved her after the stripper left him!” Said Donna and then gave Eric a look.

“Donna, this isn’t going anywhere, they both have a right to be mad at each other, granted her more than him, but she just abandoned everyone.”

Donna looked at him. “Yeah, but now she is happy, at least based on her letter, she has family and a support system. Now we just have to know what Pam Burkhart wants.”

That’s when Fez and Hyde showed up, entering through the sliding glass door. Hyde was the first one to speak. “What is the about Pam?”

Eric and Donna quickly glance at each other and Eric sighs, he has to be the one to tell Hyde. “Hyde man, she called. Said she wants dinner because she hasn’t seen everyone since you and Jackie were dating.”

Fez smiles, “Thats why we are here, it would be nice to know what my goddess has been up to since Hyde ran her away…” he got frogged. “Ai…”

“She doesn’t know where her daughter is.” Said Hyde matter of factly. He knew Pam Burkhart. He knew how she, while never abusive to her daughter, made her feel inferior her whole life. She was one who only looked out for herself and put Jackie last. He could relate because he did the same. The entire time he was with Jackie he hated her family as much as she hated his, they all forgot to love her when they had the chance. Now he had the hindsight to see that he did the same. The difference was that he actually would kill for a do-over, he knew that her mom wouldn’t.

“If she knew, she would not have said that she hasn’t seen us since Jackie and I were dating, because if I know Jackie, I know that she would have told her mother to never mention me.”

Eric had the look of pity on his face again. “Hyde…”

Hyde glared back. “Forman, it’s been 12 years since she ran away, how much longer are you gonna pity me when I bring her up.”

Fez smirked. “Till you sound like you are in love with her.”

Donna chuckled. “So the rest of his life?”

Everyone laughed and Hyde glared at them all. “What makes you think I love her or that I will for the rest of my life.”

Eric gave him the _are you serious_ look before pointing out the obvious. “There is the fact that you talk about her whenever you get drunk, saying those exact words, or the fact that she is still on your mind after 12 years, she has now been gone 6 times longer than you two dated and you still have her running in your mind.”

Donna and Fez nod and even little Rob makes an amused noise, Hyde sighs and tries to be defensive. “Hey, she was one loud cheerleader and I heard her talking since she was 6, so her words still ring in my head.”

Fez just laughs and says in a sing song voice. “You love her.”

“Get bent.”

Pam Burkhart showed up a few hours later, she greeted all the children and then turns to Eric “Was your home always so small, or did it shrink?”

Donna faked a smile and said Pam was funny. Pam shrugged and was cordial for most of the meal, as the dessert was brought out she turned to all the friends seriously. “This night was so fun, I forgot how small your house is. Do you know where my Jackie is, I thought she would come tonight.”

Hyde and Donna had a _I knew it_ look on their face and Eric spoke to her. “What do you mean.”

She sighed. “Well, I found out about Jack’s death, news comes slow in Mexico. So I came back to Point Place to sell the house and get some money in our hands you know, I thought it would pay for a long long future. When I got here I found that some fancy family owns the house as a vacation home, sold in a discreet sale. When I went to talk to Jack’s lawyers they said that everything he owned was left to Jackie but the bastard said he can’t tell me where my daughter is. So I thought you would know.” She turned to Hyde. “In the last letter I got from her you two were had got back together and she said that she was excited about both your future.”

He looked at her shook, “She said that? We haven’t been together since 1979.”

Pam looked at him in disbelief. “So you are telling me you don’t know where my daughter is?”

Everyone shook their head and a chorus of “No” followed. Minutes later she bid them goodbye and left.

Donna was the one who broke the silence. “Unbelievable. That woman is unbelievable. I mean who hasn’t heard from their own his in 12 years. And only come looking for money.”

“Bud did that.” Hyde shrugged.

Eric looked at him. “Yeah, but he isn’t your real father, so… I don’t think I am actually making a point.”

That night, the 4 friends and one infant sit around their high-school hangout as they talk about the same things they used to when they were young. They may have grown up, but their lives weren’t very different. It’s why Fez assumed Kelso and Jackie left, while the others were happy with the status quo, those two weren’t and they looked for bigger and better things outside Point Place. For Fez, Point Place was the bigger and better his life was going to get. To outsiders, living in their childhood neighbour may not be a goal accomplished, but to Eric and Donna, each other was their bigger and better.

Never saying it out loud, everyone wondered what city was for Hyde, there were moments when everyone thought it was the relationship he built with his biological and adopted family. But Fez always believed that the American hero he admired had something even bigger waiting for him.

There were always awkward pauses in the conversation between the 4, because once there were 6, there were moments when they all knew Kelso would have said something stupid or Jackie vain and they let those moments of silence be before moving on. Donna, for a moment regretted her and Eric’s year of travel. If they hadn’t she would have found Jackie’s letter a year earlier and maybe been able to find her. She told Eric as much about it as she could while still upholding the trust her former best friend put in her when she sent it. She held Jackie’s secret close to her heart, hoping to be able to bring it up with her when/if she saw her again.

Eric knew that their lives were very different than they had all thought it was gonna be. For one his parents were in Florida, he never thought Red Forman would willingly move somewhere with Bob Pinciotti, but stranger things had happened, like Donna agreeing to marry him for a second time, or Kelso being a policeman and responsible father. But despite all regrets and stupid things they had all done over the years, ultimately they were all happy. That thought only helped his happiness.

Steven Hyde believed that he was doomed to love Jackie Burkhart for the rest of his life, because he knew that this is not how a person is supposed to feel about a chick he dated in high school even 12 years later. He didn’t like admitting to people how he felt, but 4 years ago he had finally resigned to himself that he will always love her. He knew she deserved better that, she deserved a person who wasn’t afraid of her or the future and she deserved to be happy. Its why he never looked for, even after his fake marriage to the stripper imploded on him, he knew she deserved better. He knew that that was the one good thing he did, he put her first (even if it was a little late).

Even then, as the weeks from Pam Burkhart visit passed, there was something unsettling in his stomach, a feeling he couldn’t identify. He wasn’t the only one, Donna constantly felt like she failed her friend, Eric just felt bad for the girl who hadn’t spoken to her mother in who knows how long. Even from Chicago, the Kelso’s were worried. They knew Jackie was okay, she did send her goddaughter gifts as often as she could (With no return address of course) but they held onto their daughter as they wondered what kind of parents could do something like that.

By the end of the month, the gang decided they needed to spend some time together. So they planned a trip to Point Place, the entire gang in the Forman house from the 31st March to 5th of April. Reliving their glory days while missing a member.

As the 5 friends, 1 wife and 3 children begun their week of fun, in New York City a worried Jeannie Messer-Hardback was reheating their dinner for 4.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From here on out the story will be told in chronological order.


	3. This Door Is Cursed

This Door Is Cursed

It had been 4 and a half days since everyone had been in the Forman’s house. Kitty Forman had called 7 times to make sure her daughter-in-law was properly feeding the children who had mooched off of her their whole lives.

They had used napping children as an excuse to participate in multiple circles and the whole vibe just felt like it was their teenage delinquent days, Kelso gluing himself to objects in the house, Eric bumbling like an idiot, Fez stealing all the sweet things he could get his hands on, Donna taking about her giant hands, Hyde talking about the car that runs on water and even Brooke talking about how she was valedictorian.

That was how they spent the 5 out of 6 days of their vacation. Because on day 6, well on day 6 their world imploded.

5th April started out just like that days before it. Eric and Donna woke up in their bedroom (which was now redecorated for a couple), Kelso and Brooke were in Laurie’s room turned guest room, the children sharing Rob’s nursery, Hyde in his old room and Fez on the basement couch.Hyde was the first one up and made everyone breakfast, it was his way of saying sorry to getting his parent-friends hungover.

Betsy was the first to run down and she then helped her godfather make breakfast. He was her hero, even at 13, Betsy Kelso loved her Uncle Hyde. She had overheard enough conversations between her parents every time her godmother sent her an outfit with a picture of her wearing the same outfit to know that there was a time when she was the love of his life. Betsy found it hard to believe, because despite not being 6 anymore, she knew that she was the true number one girl in her Uncle’s life. This morning, she couldn’t explain what overcame her, but she knew that she had to ask him. Maybe it was because Chuck told her he wanted to date her, she wanted to know more about what relationships were like from the only cool adult she knew.

“Uncle Hyde, can I ask you a question?” She said as she stirred the 2nd batch of pancake batter.

“Of course Bets.”

“Who is my godmother?”

He froze, he didn’t know how much Betsy knew, because despite being a Kelso, her brains came from Brooke. “What?!”

“I mean, I know it’s that Jackie woman, she was dad’s ex-girlfriend and she always sends me the best gifts, and she is very beautiful, but why is she my godmother?”

He looked at the girl he had known her whole life. He loved Betsy, even as a teenager, she was the greatest source of positivity in his life, he had a bond with her that he couldn’t even replicate with his actual sister’s children.

“Because your dad chose her together.” Betsy smiled, she knew that the one thing her Uncle Hyde never did was lie to her. Ever.

“Why?”

He gave her a look and she just looked defiantly back. “You know why Betsy, don’t try the whole zen on me, I taught you that.”

She exasperated. “Uncle Hyde!”

“She was my girlfriend ok.”

She nodded and after some thought asked her next question. “What happened to her.”

He had a knee-jerk response. “I don’t know” and thats when he cringed. Because suddenly he was back in that basement saying the same words to Jackie and watching her youthful outlook of life slipping away from her as she slipped away from him. He took a deep breath “I do know, we made mistakes, each bigger than the last, eventually our relationship just couldn’t handle the wait of everything. She left.”

Betsy looked at her favourite uncle, she had never seen him so… existential. He was the fun uncle, helping her hide stuff from parents and introducing her to cool music. “Why’d she leave?”

He sighed, “Come with me.” He led her out of the kitchen and into the living room, he then pointed to the main door, “I hate door you know, I actually made your aunt Donna change it because I couldn’t even look at the old one. I am not going to discuss the mistakes of two 20-year-olds with you, but what I can tell you is that not everything that knocks on the door deserves a seat at the dinning table.” He took a pause. “Literally and metaphorically, never open the door for a stranger Betsy.” She nodded and followed him to the kitchen. They mostly made the rest of the meal in silence, changing records in the background as they played their favourite songs for each other.A few minutes later 6 year old Micheal Jr woke up, excited to help out with the pancake batter, only to create a mess, one that Hyde couldn’t help but find absolutely adorable.

A little while later their entire pseudo family came down and they enjoyed their meal. While Betsy wasn’t good with children, she did love Rob and try to feed him, however, as she tried to coo at him, he begun to cry. She slowly retreated and he was in his mothers arms.

“He hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you Bets, he just only likes me right now, that too sometimes. And Eric even less.”

Eric nodded. “Its true.”

The girl nods and they continue with their meal.

Next they find themselves all in the living space as a baby monitor replaces Rob. “So I mean I said that the popsicle is good, but we don’t need to split it you know, we can just eat the whole double popsicle each, she got mad at me.” Said Fez. “I really don’t understand women.”

Everyone nods mindlessly at another Fez story. “Thats sad little buddy, but I need advice. Betsy thinks she is old enough to start dating.” Betsy makes a sound, in disbelief that her father would bring this up here. “And I don’t think boys should come closer than 6 feet to her.”

Eric sighed. “Kelso don’t you think you are being unreasonable.”

Donna chimed in. “Yeah, she is her own person, capable of making her own decisions.”

“Thank you aunt Donna.”

Kelso sighed. “I used to be one of those teenage boys.”

That caused everyone in the room’s expression to change. “Oh yeah, you are staying away from boys as long as I can help it.” Said Hyde, remembering the antics of a teenage Kelso.

“Uncle Hyde!”

“Trust me Bets, you don’t want to date a guy like your dad.”

Kelso nods. “Yeah, teenage boys only want one thing. One bad, dirty, gross thing.”

She cover her ears. “Ewww, please don’t give me the sex talk in front of your old friends.”

Everyone in the room laughed as Kelso’s face turned to horror. “How do you know that word. Who told you that word Betsy Kelso!”

“Mom already gave the sex talk like a year ago.”

Once again the room laughed as the horror on Kelso’s face grew and he turned to his wife who had an apologetic look on her face. “BROOKE! Why she is too young.”

She gave him a look. “When you were her age, you were dating Jackie remember?”

He nodded, that was proving his point. “And I was not a good guy.” He turned to his daughter. “You stay away from this Chuck kid who likes you. You are not dating till you are married young lady.”

“Micheal, that doesn’t make sense.” Said Brooke.

He turned to his wife. When Kelso was in _protect his daughter_ mode, he became smart, coherent and made some excellent points. “So you are saying you will be okay if she goes to a Molly Hatchet concert and…”

Brooke was shook. “No! Oh my god Micheal you are right.” She turned to her daughter. “No dating till you are married. And no concerts!”

Betsy just sighed. “Ugh! You guys are so annoying. I am going to go upstairs and sit next to Rob while reading a book. Come on Mikey, you are coming with me too.”

Her little brother nodded and her parents smiled at her. “All right sweetie.”

With a last ‘Ugh’, she made her way upstairs.

After she was out of sight Donna sighed. “Its hard to believe you are parents of a teenager.”

Hyde nodded. “The fact that Kelso kept another person alive for 13 years baffles me.”

“What do you mean Hyde.”

He sighed. “Take it from the guy whose parents won shittiest parents of the year award since I was born, its hard to care for a kid you didn’t plan. You and Brooke did it so well. For the one you didn’t plan and the one you did.”

Brooke smiled at him. “Thank you Hyde.” Brooke liked Steven Hyde, their first meeting was awkward and for a while she was on Jackie’s side about the break up (that girl had called her to talk about it!) but the more she got to know him and the bond he created with her daughter, he was now one of her very best friends. She went to him to talk about Micheal and Betsy and he talked to her about his love life, because she had the least emotional attachment to his ex.

Before the conversation could continue there was a knock on the door and everyone turned to it as Donna made her way to it and opened it. On the other side stood a man none of them recognised. “My name is David and I am looking for Steven Hyde, according to federal records this is his last known address.”

Fez was the first to speak. “Federal government! Hyde was right, the government does spy on us.” Hyde frogged him. “No dummy, I was arrested when I lived with the Formans remember, that stuff stays on your record.”

He looked at David on the other side of the door. “I am Steven Hyde, why are you looking for me here?”

“Ohhh, is this like Sam again?” Said Kelso as 4 amused 1 confused and 1 angry gaze turned to him. “This is like that new word Brooke taught me, deja vu, Hyde did you marry someone else youdon’t know?”

Eric joined in on the teasing. “Yeah man, how many times are you going to do the same thing?”

David looked around confused and then smiled. “No, no, but he fathered someone that he doesn’t know.”

The 6 heads in this room turned to David faster than you could say _A._

“WHAT?!” Said the 6 voices simultaneously.

Calmly David looked at everyone before zeroing in his gaze on Hyde. “Like I said, my name is David Coroway and I work for Child Protective Services for the state of New York. You are the father listed on Jessica’s birth certificate.”

“Jessica?”

David nods. “Yes, your daughter, she is in the car behind us, I wanted to make sure you were actually here before bringing her out. Since this is from one state to the other, a blood test will be needed to confirm parentage, but until then she will stay with you.” He largely ignores the shocked faces staring back at him. “I am just going to get her from the car.”

He leaves and Hyde immediately turns to his friends. “Okay, haha, that’s a funny burn. Which one of you was it?”

All his friends shake their heads and Eric looks downright broken. “Hyde come one man, we know this was you…”

Before they can keep discussing it, Hyde hears David’s voice from behind him and sees the shock on Donna’s face.“Jessica this where you will be staying till we get the blood test results.”

As Hyde turns around to look at Jessica, his breath hitches. The first thing he notices is how tiny she is, barely reaching 5 feet, she has long curly raven hair, not one of which looks out of place, her facial features are so familiar that if he squints he can see who she reminds him of instead of her. The olive in her skin tone makes her look like the woman that he is so sure is her mother. The only difference is her eyes, because his shade of blue is the one staring back at him.

He can hear his old friends gasp at the likeness of this little girl to one they knew years ago, but he isn’t focused on that, because he watches the girl he knows deep down is his daughter look around the adults in the room before zeroing in on him.

 _“_ Are you Steven Hyde?” Her voice sounds like butter, with the added shrill tone that his ex-girlfriend was famous for.

He takes a big gulp of air. “Yes”

“I hate you!”


	4. Why is Change the Only Constant

Why is Change the Only Constant

Jessica Katherine Burkhart was having a particularly difficult half month. Her 12th birthday festivities on the 13th of March were soon followed by the death of Mama Messer, who was to her like the grandma she never had. Her daughter was even in the delivery room when Jessie was born.

That grieving process was nothing compared to what she had been through in the last week. It started with her mother being late for dinner at the Hardbacks’ on 31st March, that was nothing new, her mother was both a fashionista and workaholic, everyone expected her to be late. No one expected that she would be involved in a hit and run, she was a great driver damnit! And no one certainly expected that she would lose her life over it.

No one expected Child protective services to show up to the Hardbacks’ apartment the next day, demanding they meet with the orphaned child of Jackie Burkhart.

The last thing Jessie wanted was to be separated from Glen and Jeanine or Dani. Instead CPS found her real father and decided that he was best suited to take care of her. Jessie knew who her father was. Her mother told her a little, how he took her out to a restaurant when she was sad, or to prom. For years she didn’t really care about her father, why would she. Sure, it sucked sometimes not to have a dad like the other kids, but unlike those kids, Jessie had a Jackie, Glen, Jeanine and even Dani.

Her mother tried to tell her as much of the truth as a 7 to 8 year old should know about her father, that he didn’t know that she existed, that her mother and father didn’t leave things of on the best terms and that when she got older and better understood the more grown up stuff about her parents’ relationship she could choose to meet him. That all changed last year when she read an unsent letter from her mother to her father. She doesn’t think her mother every knew that she found that letter, but she did, and she decided that he sucks, and that she didn’t need him.

Which is precisely why she didn’t want to be in the back of a CPS guy’s car waiting in front of a stupid house in stupid Point Place, why she didn’t want to leave the car.

Standing in the little foyer of the strange house, Jessie could almost recognise the people in the room. Her mother had loved interior decorating her whole life, and even though she wasn’t one, she had decorated their and some of her friends’ apartments. In the Burkhart apartment all the walls were covered in pictures, pictures of a very pregnant Jackie standing next to a grumpy Glen in his dinner, of the day Jessie was born and the three most important people in her life holding her. Pictures of Jessie and Dani growing up as babies, Jessie and Jackie at Glen’s wedding, her mom graduating college and opening her boutique and every birthday they ever celebrated. Buried in the pictures of their happy life in New York, there were exactly 3 reminders of Jackie Burkhart’s life in Point Place, a picture of 6 fancy dressed teenagers in front of some car and a picture that looked like a graduation day shot (even though her mother was only wearing the cap). 

The people in front of her looked like older versions of those teenagers, despite greying hair and receding hairlines, Jessie could recognise them all besides the beautiful brunette one. Looking around that group her eyes recognised the man from the third picture. Even outside the lavender suit he wore to take her mother to the prom he looked like that distracted teenager from the photo. Those blue eyes were unmistakably ones that she had inherited.

 _“_ Are you Steven Hyde?” She asked, trying to imitate the stern tone she heard her mother use with people her whole life.

He takes a big gulp of air. “Yes”

She thought back to every moment she spent with her mother, the way she smiled and laughed and always told Jessie she loved her before she feel asleep. The hushed conversations she heard between Glen and Jeanine calling him a crook for abandoning her mother, her mother’s subtly sad smile when she told her about good times with her father. The letter she read where her mother listed all the bad things he did to her and how she somehow forgave him. How she now had to live the rest of her life without her favourite person on the planet.

“I hate you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes... This is the plot of the story. 
> 
> Edit:  
> A few hours after posting I got a comment abt adding the major character death to the archives warnings, and it’s a conscious decision I made not to do that, and I replied with an explanation, and then decided that I should add it here to the notes, so here is my verbatim reply (p.s. I AM NOT TRYING TO TROLL/OFFEND ANYONE, PLEASE):
> 
> “It was a matter of personal preference that I won’t use the tag, because I like to read these things instead of deducing them from summaries, even when things are revealed within the first few chapters, I like the reveal (an example is the book I’ll give you the sun, even though there is a big reveal later in the book, each chapter reveals some small thing which at the time seems like the biggest reveal in the story).
> 
> I don’t mean to mislead or offend anybody, I am just a believer that no plot element (big or small) should be exposed in the summary.
> 
> That being said, the story will be more dramatic than sad honestly and I hope you can still enjoy it.”
> 
> I really hope this clears things for everyone, and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story 👍


	5. Chapter 5

Like Her Mother

There was silence in the Forman household, Eric, Kelso, Fez and Brooke had their jobs dropped to the floor and Donna had a look in between guilt and disbelief, she wised she had told someone about the depth of her knowledge before. David understood that there was tension in the house, but he also couldn’t do anything else, a parent had first rights over children, whether they know they exist or not. While he certainly did not envy this Steven Hyde fellow (for multiple reasons, that was one loud-mouthed, opinionated and stubborn child), he did pity him. Having this responsibility thrust onto you is not easy.

Hyde could not believe it.

She hated him. She was his daughter and she hated him. She didn’t say it like he had heard Eric talk about Red, with annoyance yet admiration, no she had said it with more contempt than he had every heard.

He had a daughter and she hated him.

Looking at that girl, he knew she was a mini-Jackie Burkhart, she looked it. But he didn’t have the energy to wrap his head around the news that he was told, he turned away from the glare of hatred this girl was causing at him and turned to the only person who could make sense of this situation.

“Huh?”

David took a deep breath, he was not looking forward to any of this conversation. But before he could speak up, the girl did.

There was a poison in her voice. “I am Jessica Katherine Burkhart. You impregnated my mother before abandoning her in Chicago and marrying some tramp. I am sure you remember her, Jackie Burkhart.”

There was a smirk on her face that Eric immediately recognised as a Hyde-look. Apparently facial expressions and shrill tones ran in the family.

Hyde just started at her. She was his daughter. “I remember your mother.”

“I really don’t care. I just want to go back to New York.”

This is when David decided that it was time to leave. “Alright, I am going to take your leave now, some people from the lab will be here tomorrow to collect your blood sample for the DNA test Mr. Hyde, once the results are in, you will have to sign a piece of custody paper and all will be ok.” And before anyone could ask him any questions.

Eric gestured Jessica to come in. She knew she had no choice, while she really didn’t want to be here, she understood that cooperating with these people who had been her mother’s confidant in a previous life was her best bet to being back home with people she knew. She sat in the middle of the three person couch while her father sat on the single seat. Other members of the gang were either sitting on the organ bench or standing around almost trying to figure her out.

Hyde is frozen. He doesn’t know what to do or say, thankfully his friends help out.

Kelso is the one who begins, he is the one with most experience parenting a teen girl. “So… Jessica,”

“Its Jessie, only my mom calls me Jessica.” She nods. 

There is a small laugh that takes over the room, it confuses Jessica but she stays silent.

“She had a thing for first names.” Explains Fez. “She called Kelso Micheal and Hyde Steven.”

For the first time since entering Point Place, Jessie smiles a little. “She does do that, she calls my best friend Daniella instead of Dani, and she just hates it.” As she is saying that she has a startled realisation that _she called her_ that, not _she calls her_. Jessica wants to burst into tears and crawl into a hole, but she never would in front of all these people.

Brooke takes over. “So Jessie, what’s going on with you? How come Child Protective Services was looking for your father? Are you in some kind of trouble.”

Before she could answer Hyde’s face shot up. “If you are we can help. I promise you.”

She once again felt the need to get defensive. If for no other reason than to avenge her mother. “Oh, because you are so trust worthy.”

Eric defended him as usual. “You don’t know him Jessie.”

“I know enough. Where is your wife by the way?”

Hyde sighed. His best bet was to ignore her harshness, he knew what that was. The more she spoke, the more of himself he could see in her and the more he wondered why Jackie never told him about her. _Its because you married a Las Vegas stripper instead of her dummy!_ His subconscious reminded him.

“I don’t have a wife Jessica. And you have to tell us why you are here, where’s Jackie?”

That’s when she realised that they didn’t know. For some reason she was nervous, this man was a horrible person, but from everything her mother told her about him, she knew he cared about her. She didn’t know if the news she was about to give him would ruin his life or be inconsequential. She didn’t want to know.

“Wait… do you guys not know.”

Seeing their puzzled faces she continued. “I thought Glen was going to contact everyone she knew before New York, maybe he couldn’t find your contact details.”

Donna looked at the little girl. “We changed our landline a few years ago.”

“Oh.” She looked around. Here goes nothing. “My mother passed away.”

There was stunned silence followed by one whisper by one person.

“What?” It was Micheal Kelso, he had known Jackie Burkhart the longest of anyone in this room.

“We were supposed to have dinner at these people’s house and she was late from work. She never showed up. It was a hit and run and she was dead.” She said trying to keep her reaction a minimum. But the response around her was immediate.

Hyde shot up from his chair and disappeared towards the kitchen before Jessie could even finish her sentence. Eric and Brooke were next, following him closely, after a look from Donna, Kelso and Fez followed leaving Donna and Jessie alone.

There was silence before Donna broke it. “You can cry you know?”

She smiled back at her. “I am not going to cry in front of you. Also I am fine. I don’t need to cry or anything really. I just want to go back to New York.”

Donna looked at this child, she remembered the letter she had received from Jackie back in ’85. Her and Eric had been travelling around the world for the past year and were really happy to be back in Point Place, the Forman house officially their’s. In a year’s worth of junk mail, wedding RSVPs and TV guides she found a letter addressed to Donna Pinciotti with no return address.

_18th July, 1983_

_Dear Donna,_

_I am sorry about everything. This is Jackie by the way, and if you are not Donna, buzz off. If this is Eric, GIVE MY LETTER TO DONNA and STOP BEING SO TWITCHY._

_Anyways, back to the letter. I am sorry I ran away without saying anything. And no, it wasn’t because you invited the stripper to that stupid sleepover. And it wasn’t because Steven married that stupid stripper -- well, it wasn’t only because Steven married that stupid stripper. My mom left a few days before Steven and I got back together. When we broke up, it was like I was alone, all over again, I couldn’t ask to live with you again so I didn’t know what to do. Running away seemed like the best decision to make._

_I lied when I told Mr and Mrs Forman that I had family to go live with, I didn’t, but I had to leave. I am really really sorry for leaving without a word. And I forgive you for anything that you think you did that caused me to run away._

_I’m in college you know? Its just a community college, but I am studying fashion, because I am so good at it. And I will never say this again, but you were right. It’s nice to be good at something and know you have a future. I think im going to be a fashion designer._

_I know I have made so many mistakes in my life, but it doesn’t matter now, I am really happy. I have a family. I have a kid. She is my favourite person in the world. Maybe one day you’ll meet her._

_Leaving Point Place was the best decision I ever made Donna, I just wanted to write to you so you will know that I don’t hate you. I never could, you were like the older sister I never had. I just outgrew the Forman's basement._

_And who knows, maybe one day I will write to everyone else too, for now I am trusting that you would keep what I have written close to you and not broadcast it everywhere (that includes Eric)._

_I hope you are getting to live your feminist-travel life._

_Love always,_

_Jackie_ ❤

Donna just smiled at the little girl. She felt foolish to not connect the dots with Jackie’s child and Hyde. “You sound just like your mother.”

“Is that a good thing?”

“She was my best friend.”

“You are Dina right?”

“Uhm… Donna.”

“Oh, my mom never really talked about her life here. She had some pictures of you guys up in the house, but she never really mentioned anyone, she just told me stories of 6 people in the basement sitting in a circle, whatever that means.”

Donna just smiled. “We just sat in circles.”

“Weird.”

“So… Donna, can I ask you something.”

“Of course you can.”

“What were my mom and dad like?”

“What were they like?”

“As teenagers and a couple. What were they like.”

Donna didn’t know what say. How do you tell a 12 year old girl about her parents tumultuous relationship, right after she lost her mother and seems to hate her father. Jessie sensed that she was thinking that. “You don’t have to make them look better than they were." She shrugged. "What's the worse that could happen, I already hate him anyways.”

Donna let out a laugh. “You could hate him more.”

“Not even if I tried.”

“Okay… your parents were volatile. They did and said things in the moment and thought about them after. All their big and small fights were because they were only ever impulsive.”

Jessie smiled, remembering her mother. “I’m impulsive.”

“You get that from both of them.”

Donna waited a minute before speaking. “I loved your mom you know, no matter what was going on between us, me and my boyfriend or you mom and hers’, we both loved each other very much.”

Jessie smiled. “She was perfect. A little loud and vain sometimes, but perfect.”

Donna laughed. “Oh she was always vain.”

“You know she sent her goddaughter matching outfits and made me take polaroids of her wearing them to include in the gift.”

“Betsy! Lets call her down here.”

“She’s here?”

“Oh yeah! BETSY, BETSY. Get down here, there is someone I want you to meet.”

Betsy Kelso shut her book and strutted down the stairs, only to pause when he saw only 2 people on the couch, her aunt Donna and an unknown girl who looked about her age. “Betsy, this is Jessica Burkhart, she is our friend Jackie and your Uncle Hyde’s daughter.”

“WHAT?!”

“Yeah, the adults are in the basement, I am going to go there, why don’t you two talk then.” And with that donna went in the same direction as the others before her.

The two girls sat next to each other on the couch, none of them initiating the conversation. Finally Betsy sighed and begun talking.

“I am Betsy Kelso, your mom is godmother!”

Jessie looked at her, a stoic look on her face. “Was. She died.”

“Oh my god, I am so sorry.”

“Yeah, everyone is.”

Betsy largest ignored her tone and kept taking. “Well, you know your dad is very very cool. He is the coolest uncle on the planet. I mean I was his number one girl, but now its gonna be you and trust me, being his number 1 girl is amazing.”

Jessie turned to her, a patronising look on her face. It caused Betsy to pause.

“Listen here, Betsy!” She stared in a tone that seemed happy, but Betsy couldn’t pinpoint. “I don’t want to fight you for your Uncle’s affections, I don’t want them, He’s an asshole. You can keep them and him and everyone here in this stupid dinky little town. Okay, I really don’t care.”

Betsy Kelso paused. She wanted to yell back, she wanted to call this little brat ungrateful and just bitchy, but then she stopped for a minute to think, she couldn’t image what it must have been like for Jessie, to lose your mother and meet a new father all in the fan of one week. So instead she replied with. “It is a stupid dinky little town. I live in Chicago, which is just so much better. You should come over sometime.”

The niceness in Betsy’s tone did nothing for Jessie, who just glared at her.

“Don’t try to relate with me, I don’t need anyone’s pity, I don’t need anything from anyone. Me and my mom were fine on our own, and I am going to be fine on my own I don’t need a stupid father.”

Betsy was losing her patience, but she once again took a deep breath and tried again. “Look, you may not want anything from anyone, or your father. But you need both those things. Trust me.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“Because I have no reason to lie to you. I just told you something I know you don’t want to hear because it’s the truth, it how you know you can trust me.”

She conceded. “Maybe…. That’s a good technique though.”

Betsy smiled, this was her way to get through to her. “Uncle Hyde… or well I guess your dad taught me never to lie.”

Jessie shook her head violently. “He is not my dad. He is some guy who impregnated my mother.”

Betsy smiled. “You say po-teh-toe, I say po-tah-toe.”

Meanwhile in the basement a tense Steven Hyde was surrounded by his old friends.

He wasn’t saying anything and everyone around him didn’t know how to act. “I can’t believe she is dead.” Said Eric feeling out the room, all he got in turn was 3 glares, a shrug and a non-reactive burnout.

“Jackie Burkhart can’t be dead. Come on Hyde, call it a government conspiracy or something.” Said Fez desperately looking to his friend for comfort. Hyde was still not moving, just sitting on his chair staring at an arbitrary spot near the couch.

“She’s dead Fez.” Said Kelso. “Jackie always said she would rather die young than grow up to be ugly and have crow’s feet. She died hot.”

Donna couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She didn’t have much experience with death, and didn’t really know how to process it. She couldn’t help but wonder about the young girl whose life will now be defined by death. “Kelso, how could you say that! Jackie’s dead. Jacki Burkhart is no more.” Everyone could hear Donna’s voice begin to crack. “Jackie died, she died.” Now she was sobbing. “She left to have Hyde’s daughter, and I was such a bad friend that she couldn’t tell me she was pregnant. She ran away and no one heard from her for years, and now she’s dead!” She stared at her ex-boyfriend. “Jackie is dead Hyde. Do you even care, do you feel sad at all?”

He didn’t look up from where he was staring but be spoke. “This is where she told me she loved me the first time.” There was a vulnerability in his voice no one had heard before, it grounded Donna instantly and worried Eric and Brooke. “She called Kelso her boyfriend and I broke up with her, but she came back to fight for me, and tell me she loved me.” He looked up straight to where the old record player used to sit. “There, she forgave me and told me that she chose me, no one ever chose me before that.” He pointed at where Eric stood. “There she told me that she wanted more from our relationship and then again from life, twice she asked me to fight for her, and I didn’t. I didn’t fight for the girl I loved.”

He let out a pitiful laugh. “I sat in this chair when she walked into this fucking basement and asked me if I was staying with Samantha, if I was choosing a chick I didn’t like over her. I didn’t choose her. I didn’t choose her. She still walked up to me, kissed my cheek and told me she loved me. And like a coward I didn’t say it back.”

He looked up at Donna. “That last night she was here, the night of your sleepover, I ran into her in the driveway. She was late and looked frazzled coming to your house. I saw her and called her desperate. I told the girl I love that it was pathetic that she had to make excuses about Donna to come and see me. I never told her how much she meant to me. And all she did was smile with sadness in her eyes and said she was sorry I thought that way. She forgave me before I even said anything to her. She left town before I could get my head out of my ass. She died without knowing that she is the love of my life.”

He took a deep breath. “And now her daughter is here. Who hates me. And why won’t she, I would hate a man who did that to my mother, and Edna was no where near Jackie.”

Eric didn’t know what to say, “Hyde…”

“Nah, don’t pity me man, I deserve this.”

“No you don’t.” Said Donna, this surprised everyone, they all knew she hated Hyde for driving her best friend away. “You were an ass, but you don’t deserve to lose the love of your life. Just like Jessie doesn’t deserve to lose her mother at such a young age.”

Hyde looked around his friends. “What am I going to do?”

Kelso took a deep breath. “I’ll tell you what you are going to do, you are going to take this girl to your house and set up a room for her. You are going to deal with being her punching bag, that’s what a dad does. She may say she hates you, too bad, because you’re the father she has, like it or not.”

Hyde didn’t know if he should be surprised or not watching his friend take charge. He simply nods his head and get up to walk up the stairs towards the one person in the world who scares the shit out of him. Jessica, his daughter.

That would take some getting used to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a long chapter and I loved writing it, I hope you enjoy it. 
> 
> Unlike my other story which was long-is (26 chapters), this one will be kinda shorter, probably around 15 chapters and might roll out a little more slowly, because for me righting heavy stuff is a challenge (which is why I am writing this). 
> 
> ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤


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